Method and apparatus for sanding rails.



I. V. GERAGHTY. METHOD AND APPARATUS FoR SANDING RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9, I9I4.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

A. A A. A. A. l. A.

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./7 Mfr/asses JAMES V. GERAGHTY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SANDING RAILS.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

I Application led June 19, 1914. Serial No. 846,042.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES V. GERAGHTY, a citizenof the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Sanding Rails, of which the following is a specification, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to methods and apparatus for sanding rails, particularly the rails of anelectrically operated railway system.

The object of my invention, among other things, is the provision of a novel method of distributing sand along the upper surface of the rails, thereby preventing and removing what are commonly known as rail corrugations. These corrugations are produced in shallow waves upon the tread of the rails of the railway by the wheels of the cars which pass over them; they are very prevalent on electric railways and tramways, under varied conditions. The origin and resulting causes of corrugation are dif-v ficult of determination, and many theories have been advanced to prevent same, or to remove corrugations already existing. lt is generally understood that corrugations occur where slipping takes place, for it has been generally found that corrugations take place where the electric current to operate the car is acting at full power.

Many theories have been advanced for preventing and for removing corrugations already existing and though my discovery may be practised by several different mechanisms or machines now in'use, those skilled in the art have failed to discover certain new and useful improvements practised in my invention.

The characteristic feature of my presentv invention is the method or process of doing away with those corrugations, occurring on electric railways, which consists in the supplying of sand between the rapidly revolving wheels of the car and the rail, automatically regulated by the advance of the control while bringing the car to speed, but not operated when the current is being cut out;v simultaneously advancing the control, bringing the car to speed, distributing sand, availing myself of the ability of the sand so distributed to cut the surface of the crests, also availing myself of the ability of the pressure of the rapidly moving wheels to smooth out the cut surface and simultaneously furnishing the requisite adhesion under the various wheel which may be passing over non-corrugated rail surface, to prevent undesirable intermittent slipping and hold the wheels to the rail, thus doing away with the formation of other corrugations.

is a view partly in section .taken on the line a-a of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevationv of a car and wheel with my device attached. Fig. 3 is a view partly in section of the valve for regulating the flow of the sand..

Fig. 4: is a detailed view of the controller partly in section. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed view taken on the line b-b of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of my improved apparatus. l

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 7 represents vsand boxes suitably located in the car 8 over the wheels 9.

The wheels 9 which are mounted on the axle 10 ride on the rails 11.

Beneath each sand box are two passages formed in the collars 12 secured to the under side of the floor of the car 8 as shown inl Figs. 1 and2, in which are located the slide valves 13; the outer end of each valve 13 is pivotally secured atlt to the solenoids 15. The coil spring 16 normally closes the valve 13 as shown in Fig. 3. 17 are sand pipes provided with funnels 18, two for each wheel as shown in Fig. 2, so arranged to d istribute sand in proximity to the point of Contact between the tires of the wheels 9 and the rails 11. The same construction and parts are employed for each of the wheels 9 of the car.

Referring to Figsl and 5,19 represents a controller having attached thereto the transverse roller 20 suitably insulated as shown in Fig. 4, and having a notched out In' order topresent a full understanding slot 21 in the upper portion thereof, through which slot lthe -pin 22 passesas the roller revolves. The roller 20 is insulated at 23, and is conductive at 24 as shown in Fig. 5, and these portions are so arranged to rotate overl the contact plate 25 as shown in Figs.

pass into the pipes 17 to distribute sand along the surface of the rails 11, in the direction of the movement of the car.

In carrying out my process as the controller 19 is` advanced, the roller 20 is rotated so as to remove the insulated portion 23 from the plate 25, but to have the portion 24 rest on this plate, thereby making contact between the plate 25 and the first push button 27 which operates the solenoids to open the valves to distribute sand along the rails. As the controller is gradually advanced through the Vsuccessive contact buttons 27, the hereinbefore described mechanism, successively operates the sanding device, as against the spring 16, with suitable relation to the advance of the controller,l whether in starting or in running positions, governed by the solenoid, and in direct proportion to the needs, thereby supplying the sand necessary to cause the requisite adhesion on the various wheels, which supply is automatically regulated by the advance of the conf Y troller in bringing the car to speed, when the operator depresses the pin 26, shown in Fig. 6, to complete the electrical circuit.

As shown in Fig. 6, the solenoids 15 are connected by appropriatewiring. with the main electric circuit for operating the mo.- tors attached to the axles 10 of the car. Alternate sets of solenoids are operated by each of the controllers 19 according to the direction in which the car is moving as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the object being to supply sand to each of the wheels 9 `as it progresses along the track 11. For example, when the car is progressing to the right, the advance of the right hand controller 19 makes electrical connection between the first contact button 27 which hasbeen connected 'as shown in Fig. 6 with the rst and third sets. of solenoids 15,. thereby opening the valves 13 to distribute sand along the rails.A When the car is moving to the left the controller 19 on the left operates .in the same manner its first and third sets of solenoids 15.

My device therefore, as heretofore dev scribed, consists in the simultaneous advance of thecontroller in bringing the `car to speed, and the distribution of sand along the rails, which at the same time furnishes the proper adhesion to the wheels passing over the nonscorrugated rail surfaces. According to my invention therefore, I am enabled to supply automatically the proper amount of sand under each wheel of the car in which ever way the car may be moving, so that each wheel is properly supplied with sand requisite for adhesion, thus doing away with the formation of corrugations by preventing the wheels slipping on the rails as the car is being brought to full speed.

I claim as my invention ll. The electromagetic method of sanding rails to vprevent and remove corrugations therein, which consists in supplying sand between progressing, rail-contacting revolving surfaces and said rails by means of, and in cordination with, the electric current employed substantially at all times during the acceleration of rotation of said revolving surfaces, .so as to simultaneously furnish requisite adhesion between said surfaces and rails to prevent the formation of -corrugations, and to displace the crests of the corrugations already formed.

2. The electromagnetic method of sanding rails to prevent corrugations therein, which consists in supplying sand .between progressing, rail-contacting revolving surfaces and.,said rails by means of, and in c0- ordination with, the electric 'current employed substantially at all times during the acceleration of rotation of said revolving surfaces, so as to furnish requisite ,adhesion between said surfaces and sald rails.

3. The electromagnetic method of sandy ing rails to remove corrugations therein,

which consists in4 supplying sand between progressing, rail-contactlng revolving surfaces and said rails by means of, and in coordination with, the electric current em-v ployed substantially at all times during the corru ations already formed.

4. apparatus for sanding rails' on electric railways, which comprises, in combination, a controller connected with the main circuit to operate the motors, a solenoid connected by successive contact points'to the main circuit by the advance of .the motor controller in starting and running positions,

a sand box having yau outlet to the rail, and f a valve in said `outlet lconnected with the tric railways, which comprises, in combinat1on,. a controller connecting the motors to the main circuit, means to connect same in.

vanced in starting and running positions, a

sand box having anoutlet to the rail, and a valve in said outlet connected with the solenoid to open said valve when the motor controller is advanced.

6. An apparatus for sanding rails on eleotric railways, which comprises, in combination, a controller connected with the main circuit to operate the motors, a solenoid connected to the main circuit by contact points in suitable relation` with the advance of the controller in starting and running positions, a sand box having an outlet to the rail, and a valve in said outlet connected with the solenoid to open the valve when the controller is advanced.

7 An apparatus for sanding rails on electric railways, which comprises, in combination, a controller connected with the main circuit to operate themotors, means to conneet same in series or in parallel, a solenoid connected to the main circuit by contact points in suitable relation with the advance of the controller in, starting and running positions, a sand box having an' outletto the rail, and a valve in said outlet connected with the solenoid to open the valve when the controller is advanced.

8. An apparatus for sanding rails on electric railways, which comprises a controller connecting the motors to the main circuit,

means connecting same in series or in parallel, in combination with a sanding box having an outlet to the rail, a valve in said outlet, and means to automatically operate the sand valves with a suitable relation to the advance of the motor controller in starting and running positions.

,9. An apparatus for sanding rails on electric railways, which comprises, in combination, a controller connected with the main circuit to operate the motors, an electromagnetic device connected by succession contact points to the main circuit by the advance of the motor controller in starting and running positions, and means for supplying sand to the rails governed by said electromagnetic device when the motor controller is advanced.

l0. A n apparatus for sanding rails on electric railways, which comprises, in combination, a controller connecting the motors to the main circuit, means to connect same in series or in parallel, an electromagnetic device connected by successive contact points to the main circuit when the motor controller is advanced in starting and running positions, and means for supplying sand to the rails governed by said electromagnetic device when the motor controller is advanced.

1l. An apparatus for sanding rails on electric railways, which comprises, in combination, a controller connected with the main circuit to operate the motors, an electromagnetic device connected to the main circuit by contact points in suitable relation with the advance of the controller in starting and running positions, and means for supplying sand to the rails governed by said electromagnetic device when the controller is advanced.

l2. An apparatus for sanding rails on electric railways, which comprises, in combination, a controller connected with the main circuit to operate the motors, means to connect same in series or in parallel, an electromagnetic device connected to the main circuit by contact points in suitable relation with the advance of the controller in starting and running positions, and means for supplying sand to the rails governed by said electromagnetic device when the controller is advanced.

13. An apparatus for sanding rails ,on electric railways, which comprises a controller connecting the motors to the main circuit, means connecting same in series or in parallel, in combination with means for supplying sand to the rails, and means to `automatically operate the sanding means with a suitable relation to the advance of the motor controller in starting and running positions. A

JAMES V.. GER'AGHTY. Witnesses:

PHILIP V. PECK, ALFRED R. CoNAN'r. 

